The 2011 50 Book Challenge
- bigdirtyfoot
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The 2011 50 Book Challenge
Another year to read books! Let's get it going again this year, eh readers?
For anyone new to this, we typically post each book's title, author and number of pages, followed by a review or thoughts on the book.
1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
This was a great end to the Cosmic Trigger Trilogy, which I started last year. I have now read three of Wilson's trilogies, and have enjoyed all of them. His writing is fresh, thought-provoking, and highly entertaining. Recommended. You can read my review here.
Alright, let's see if we can read 50 books this year!
For anyone new to this, we typically post each book's title, author and number of pages, followed by a review or thoughts on the book.
1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
This was a great end to the Cosmic Trigger Trilogy, which I started last year. I have now read three of Wilson's trilogies, and have enjoyed all of them. His writing is fresh, thought-provoking, and highly entertaining. Recommended. You can read my review here.
Alright, let's see if we can read 50 books this year!
- bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
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Haha yeah I'm in the middle of two ~800 page books that I'll probably read the next few months, if I can even finish them this year! And this is the fourth year we've had this thread going, and I *still* haven't been able to finish 50, no matter how strong I start off. Well, good luck to us all and I hope we can have some good book conversation this year.
- bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
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- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
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Uh, I wasn't talking about myself... Really...
1. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi - Allies, Christie Golden, 384 Pages
This is the 5th book in a 9 part series. Luke is like 60 years old. Still super powerful though. A whole planet of Sith are making themselves known. It's been an interesting series thus far. Not as interesting as some of the other Star Wars stuff I've read, but it's moving the saga along nicely, and I enjoy seeing how it all fits together. I've started the next book in the series now.
1. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi - Allies, Christie Golden, 384 Pages
This is the 5th book in a 9 part series. Luke is like 60 years old. Still super powerful though. A whole planet of Sith are making themselves known. It's been an interesting series thus far. Not as interesting as some of the other Star Wars stuff I've read, but it's moving the saga along nicely, and I enjoy seeing how it all fits together. I've started the next book in the series now.
- bigdirtyfoot
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- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
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1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
This is the fourth volume in Thompson's The Gonzo Papers series, and it focuses on the 1992 election of Bill Clinton. It was an extremely quick read, because a) I think Thompson's life might have been *slightly* saner in the 90s than it was in the 50s to 80s and b) It consists of essays and magazine articles with a large portion of scribbled faxes that Thompson sent journalists, politicians and celebrities. The faxes are interesting to read because they are almost all handwritten, usually fairly angry in context, and about the length of a text message. This is one of the more unique books that HST ever put out, and I'd definitely recommend it. You can read my review here.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
This is the fourth volume in Thompson's The Gonzo Papers series, and it focuses on the 1992 election of Bill Clinton. It was an extremely quick read, because a) I think Thompson's life might have been *slightly* saner in the 90s than it was in the 50s to 80s and b) It consists of essays and magazine articles with a large portion of scribbled faxes that Thompson sent journalists, politicians and celebrities. The faxes are interesting to read because they are almost all handwritten, usually fairly angry in context, and about the length of a text message. This is one of the more unique books that HST ever put out, and I'd definitely recommend it. You can read my review here.
- bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
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1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
This was a feel-good children's book that was abandoned in the lost-and-found box at my work. My ex-roommate brought it home for me a few months ago, and I started it but never finished it. Well, I trucked through it last night... it was really good, actually! It's about a hippie kid who lives on a commune, who ends up attending a public school for the first time in his life. He is an outcast from the start, but starts to make a positive impact on everyone in the school. It reminded me a lot of Stephen Chbosky's Perks of Being a Wallflower, although it wasn't as gloomy. You can read my review here.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
This was a feel-good children's book that was abandoned in the lost-and-found box at my work. My ex-roommate brought it home for me a few months ago, and I started it but never finished it. Well, I trucked through it last night... it was really good, actually! It's about a hippie kid who lives on a commune, who ends up attending a public school for the first time in his life. He is an outcast from the start, but starts to make a positive impact on everyone in the school. It reminded me a lot of Stephen Chbosky's Perks of Being a Wallflower, although it wasn't as gloomy. You can read my review here.
- bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
Okay. This one took me six years and four attempts to finally finish. The problem I have always had with it is that I fall asleep after trudging through 20-30 pages. I finally finished it today and actually really enjoyed it. I will definitely have to reread it because there is a lot of symbolism and hidden meaning within the story. If you don't know, it is about an Englishman's journey into the Congo region of Africa. The movie Apocalypse Now was loosely based on this book. You can check out my review here.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
Okay. This one took me six years and four attempts to finally finish. The problem I have always had with it is that I fall asleep after trudging through 20-30 pages. I finally finished it today and actually really enjoyed it. I will definitely have to reread it because there is a lot of symbolism and hidden meaning within the story. If you don't know, it is about an Englishman's journey into the Congo region of Africa. The movie Apocalypse Now was loosely based on this book. You can check out my review here.
1. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins - 629pg
Comprehensive. I think the size was good though, because I found the last Dawkins I read (The Greatest Show on Earth) a little boring because it mainly covered things I knew a lot about. This does as well, but also covers so much that it's still interesting. Dawkins is such a good writer, and he keeps the book both interesting but very content dense, which I much prefer to a lot of the journalist pop-science I've read lately. The book basically goes through the evolutionary path that humans have taken, from where we are now, back to the origin of life. It goes over each point where our lineage splits from extant life.
Comprehensive. I think the size was good though, because I found the last Dawkins I read (The Greatest Show on Earth) a little boring because it mainly covered things I knew a lot about. This does as well, but also covers so much that it's still interesting. Dawkins is such a good writer, and he keeps the book both interesting but very content dense, which I much prefer to a lot of the journalist pop-science I've read lately. The book basically goes through the evolutionary path that humans have taken, from where we are now, back to the origin of life. It goes over each point where our lineage splits from extant life.
1. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins - 629pg
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
I've been perusing this for the last week or so, and having finished Ancestor's Tale last night, figured I should finish this too. As the title suggests, it's a collection of photographs by Andy Rouse along with descriptions and advice about wildlife photography. I found the book very informative and inspiring, and really enjoyed a lot of his work.
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
I've been perusing this for the last week or so, and having finished Ancestor's Tale last night, figured I should finish this too. As the title suggests, it's a collection of photographs by Andy Rouse along with descriptions and advice about wildlife photography. I found the book very informative and inspiring, and really enjoyed a lot of his work.
- bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
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1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
Another book I have been meaning to read for years. Quite good. Not much to say about it, because I'm sure most people have read it and I am just a latecomer to this one. You can read my review here.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
Another book I have been meaning to read for years. Quite good. Not much to say about it, because I'm sure most people have read it and I am just a latecomer to this one. You can read my review here.
1. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins - 629pg
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
The authors, who are a married, are a genetic engineer and an organic farmer. They have a blog too: http://scienceblogs.com/tomorrowstable/ which I read before reading this book. The blog is great, and the book does a good job demonstrating how retarded and ignorant the opposition to GE foods is. However the book is also amazingly boring due to hyper detailed anecdotes. Seriously it's like this - "I got on my bike and started riding. I got to where I was going and got off my bike." Anyway, an interesting book but flawed.
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
The authors, who are a married, are a genetic engineer and an organic farmer. They have a blog too: http://scienceblogs.com/tomorrowstable/ which I read before reading this book. The blog is great, and the book does a good job demonstrating how retarded and ignorant the opposition to GE foods is. However the book is also amazingly boring due to hyper detailed anecdotes. Seriously it's like this - "I got on my bike and started riding. I got to where I was going and got off my bike." Anyway, an interesting book but flawed.
1. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins - 629pg
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
An interesting and very detailed account of Leafcutter Ants (Atta and Acromyrmex) and their symbionts. Is perhaps too detailed for people without a keen interest in ants, but it's pretty short and has a lot of great photos, so you should check it out anyway
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
An interesting and very detailed account of Leafcutter Ants (Atta and Acromyrmex) and their symbionts. Is perhaps too detailed for people without a keen interest in ants, but it's pretty short and has a lot of great photos, so you should check it out anyway
- bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
I really enjoyed this one. Each book in this series gets better than the last. There's not much to say about it, because this far in the series, I don't want to give anything away. You can read my review here.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
I really enjoyed this one. Each book in this series gets better than the last. There's not much to say about it, because this far in the series, I don't want to give anything away. You can read my review here.
1. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins - 629pg
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
An easy read. I think I'm a bit over Ellis these days though. The shallowness and self centred nature of his characters is frustrating, and I don't think this book adds anything useful to what he's said in other books. It's a sequel to Less Than Zero, which I enjoyed, but can't remember that much of any more. I do still like his writing style and the drabness of his books, but I felt completely apathetic towards the characters and plot.
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
An easy read. I think I'm a bit over Ellis these days though. The shallowness and self centred nature of his characters is frustrating, and I don't think this book adds anything useful to what he's said in other books. It's a sequel to Less Than Zero, which I enjoyed, but can't remember that much of any more. I do still like his writing style and the drabness of his books, but I felt completely apathetic towards the characters and plot.
- bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
1. Cosmic Trigger Volume Three: My Life After Death, Robert Anton Wilson, 247 pg.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
Best Tom Robbins so far. This is his third novel, published in 1980. It is sort of a love story that takes place inside a pack of Camel cigarettes. Although it gets a little tangential, there is a lot of humor and interesting side-stories that are thrown in. You can read my review here.
2. Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie, Hunter S. Thompson, 247 pg.
3. Schooled, Godron Korman, 224 pg.
4. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 75 pg.
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 216 pg.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling, 734 pg.
7. Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins, 277 pg.
Best Tom Robbins so far. This is his third novel, published in 1980. It is sort of a love story that takes place inside a pack of Camel cigarettes. Although it gets a little tangential, there is a lot of humor and interesting side-stories that are thrown in. You can read my review here.
1. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life by Richard Dawkins - 629pg
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
An interesting read documenting sharks, covering their evolution, biology, interactions with humans and place in culture. I don't know a lot about sharks so it was good in that respect, although Owen's understanding of evolution and taxonomy leaves a lot to be desired. It's also interesting to note how big a role alternative medicine (both Chinese and Western) is playing in the extermination of sharks. There's an amusing myth that sharks don't get cancer, that somehow leads to the conclusion that various shark extracts, particularly cartilage prevent or help treat cancer. Like most naturopathic medicine, there is obviously no known mechanism for this to happen and sharks are just as prone to cancer as anything else. Oh, also a friend of mine's dad gets a mention (he discovered a new species of shark in Tasmania a few years ago), so that was cool
2. Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art by Andy Rouse - 159pg
3. Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Roland and Raoul W. Adamchak - 167pg
4. The Leafcutter Ants: Civilization by Instinct by Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson - 127pg
5. Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis - 256pg
6. Shark: In Peril In The Sea by David Owen - 294pg
An interesting read documenting sharks, covering their evolution, biology, interactions with humans and place in culture. I don't know a lot about sharks so it was good in that respect, although Owen's understanding of evolution and taxonomy leaves a lot to be desired. It's also interesting to note how big a role alternative medicine (both Chinese and Western) is playing in the extermination of sharks. There's an amusing myth that sharks don't get cancer, that somehow leads to the conclusion that various shark extracts, particularly cartilage prevent or help treat cancer. Like most naturopathic medicine, there is obviously no known mechanism for this to happen and sharks are just as prone to cancer as anything else. Oh, also a friend of mine's dad gets a mention (he discovered a new species of shark in Tasmania a few years ago), so that was cool
1. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick 336pg
An account of life in North Korea. Information gathered by talking with people who'd defected from North Korea. Not full of very many surprises, but it's an intimate look at the lives that are affected by the horrible horrible regime in control.
An account of life in North Korea. Information gathered by talking with people who'd defected from North Korea. Not full of very many surprises, but it's an intimate look at the lives that are affected by the horrible horrible regime in control.
Danny P.